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Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Claire Paul at Honolulu Hale. "

This is the Honolulu Hale tree and sunset on Dec. 2. Was fun to see the lights on as the sun set and they slowly got brighter with the darkness."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

25 12 8 Claire Paul 16x9

<title>Hawai‘i Skies: Lights</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Claire Paul at Honolulu Hale.

Hawai‘i Skies: Lights

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Claire Paul at Honolulu Hale. "This is the Honolulu Hale tree and sunset on Dec. 2. Was fun to see the lights on as the sun set and they slowly got brighter with the darkness." To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us online or email: general@alohastatedaily.com For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Aloha Spirit

Business & Tourism

Lahaina-based boutique Hana Hou by Hale Zen – which sells clothing, accessories, home goods, gifts and more – 

will be collecting cans of food and monetary donations for 

Each night from 5 to 8 p.m., customers can enjoy the biz's Sip and Shop event, complete with a complimentary beverage for those ages 21 and over, wrapped up in a deal. Shoppers can get 20% off their entire purchase (excluding gold items) by bringing in six cans of pet or human food, or by donating $25 to either cause.

We will be offering Aperol Spritzes, shopping, holiday music, and it should be really fun,” the shop’s owner Lisa Payne told Aloha State Daily. “We do this to highlight the need to help in the community, so it’s a win-win."

The last Ship and Shop event in 2022 accumulated over 450 pounds of food, she said, noting, “We added Maui Humane Society this year because they are so overloaded. 

I’m an animal lover. I went to school to be a vet and ended up in retail.”

Seasonal items include ornaments, knitwear, candles, home goods and décor, and more, according to the company. There are even “products that proclaim your Aloha Spirit,” per its website. “

Over the years, we’ve garnered a collection of great local vendors,” Payne said. “Most of our online orders right now are Jellycats, which is a stuffed animal line from the UK, and our Lahaina products.”

“It’s evolved into an Anthropologie, but here in Hawaiʻi. We carry women’s mid- to high-end clothing, books, jewelry and a lot of local products.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Kama'āina also regularly get 10% off."}]

(still run by her partner), on Oʻahu’s North Shore in the mid-’80s and later moved to Maui in 1989 because she “wanted to raise her kids in the country,” she said. Her family settled in Haiku and soon after she launched another children’s store 

, which moved from Pāʻia to Makawao. Hale Zen was born around that time on Lahainaluna Road, she added. The business later relocated to Dickenson Street, where it operated for 10 years until the building burned in the 2023 Lahaina wildfire. The next day, she recalled being told that the store was gone via word of mouth and that some of her family members were missing. They were eventually found.

“We’re grateful for our community because that’s who really has shown [up] throughout this whole disaster. Everybody helped everybody out and that’s why I think we’re all OK today,” Payne said. “We have so many great organizations over here that stepped up. I have to give a shout out to Samaritan’s Purse because they set up so quickly to help and are still helping people get in their homes.”

A couple months following the fires, Hale Zen organized an event with Maui Food Bank and Mahi Pono that distributed food and new goods to the community. Today, proceeds from the store continue to help directly support local families in need, she said.

In November 2024, Hana Hou by Hale Zen reopened with a new name into its existing warehouse space at Emerald Plaza Center. It has four employees, including Payne.

“It wasn’t a matter of if we would reopen, just a matter of when. … We wanted to be sensitive to price points as we reopened, offering things that were affordable and good quality,” Payne said. “I

 think beauty is such an important thing in life, and I felt like Lahaina needed to have access to beautiful things. I call it glimmers, little hopeful things.”

In the new year, she aims to expand the store's hours. 

When asked her favorite part about being a small business owner is, she said, “Getting to interact on a regular basis with community members, who come in and share their stories with us. People still will walk in the door and start crying because it’s their first time back. It means a lot to people.”

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Maui Hana Hou by Hale Zen 4 Interior 16x9

<title>Lahaina shop to support two nonprofits</title>

Hana Hou by Hale Zen’s Sip and Shop, a community event featuring sparkling beverages and festive items for sale, will benefit two nonprofits — Maui Food Bank and Maui Humane Society — on Dec. 12 and 13, respectively. Owner Lisa Payne shares what to expect and why to give.

Lahaina shop to support two nonprofits

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Standout University of Hawai‘i football receiver Jackson Harris has left the team. 

Harris informed Hawai‘i coaches of his intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal last week and did not participate in practices following the team's 

regular season finale victory over Wyoming

Hawai‘i head coach Timmy Chang confirmed Harris' departure following Wednesday's practice at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. 

"We just wish him the best of luck, and we thank him for playing here, and that's just how it goes," Chang said. 

Harris, a redshirt sophomore, joined the Rainbow Warriors as a transfer from Stanford in the spring. He was seldomly used by the Cardinal, where he totaled six receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown in 2023 and 2024. 

In Hawai‘i's season opener against Stanford on Aug. 23, Harris hauled in a 19-yard touchdown against his former team in a 23-20 victory.

Although injuries limited him in fall camp, Harris emerged as one of the conference's breakout stars. He was named a first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection after pulling in 49 receptions for 963 yards and 12 touchdowns in 10 games. 

Though the next transfer portal window for football does not open until Jan. 2, 2026, Chang says Harris made the choice to opt out of Hawai‘i's 

As one of the catalysts of Hawai‘i's 8-4 season, Harris surpassed 100 receiving yards in six of the team's final seven games. Harris garnered backdoor interest from schools in Power Four conferences as the season progressed and he continued to put up numbers. 

"I think overall, there's a lot of flaws in what in the rules and the non regulated rules of NIL, transfer portal, the calendar dates," Chang said. "I think if you were to ask coaches across the country, I think we'll all have different opinions. We work very hard from January all the way into the postseason and you're having to deal with coaches moving on, players moving on. 

"When we talk about the team game and being a part of a team, being part of something bigger, playing for the brother next to you, those values just really, they don't line up. The system is flawed if you're asking this coach, but you'll get a bunch of different answers. But hopefully there's powers beyond that can come in and help and step in to just regulate and re-regulate some of the things that are going on, so that the things that you do preach and you hold a lot of values in like commitment and playing and doing things for each other and bringing value, and those type of things. I think those things really matter."

Chang, Hawai‘i women's basketball coach Laura Beeman and UH athletics director 

 were at the Hawai‘i State Capitol in November to ask for $5 million in state funds to boost the school's NIL payments to players. In comparison, members of Power Four conferences, where Harris is presumably headed, are providing athletes $20.5 million via revenue sharing for the 2025-2026 academic year. 

Chang, who took over as UH's head coach in 2022, says the ecosystem surrounding player payments has gotten more out of control each year. The Rainbow Warriors have lost starters to Power Four schools each year Chang has been at the helm. In 2025, Harris became the first. 

"There are so many things that happen behind the scenes because of what the rules are that you just don't know what kids are going through. On the surface, we're playing the game. But behind the scenes, there's just a lot of moving parts, and a lot of people talking and trying to create buzz, movement, value for themselves," Chang said. "There's a lot of hands in our game right now. Until some of these rules get regulated and our calendar gets situated right, a lot of these issues will continue to rise."

Jackson Harris 121025

<title>Standout Hawai‘i receiver Jackson Harris enters transfer portal</title>

Harris earned All-Mountain West honors in his lone year with the Rainbow Warriors.

Standout Hawai‘i receiver Jackson Harris enters transfer portal

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

Columnists

This 30-story building that rises above Bishop Street is First Hawaiian Center, the corporate home of First Hawaiian Bank and other high-end professional offices. Its dual-toned facade, meant to reflect the ocean on one side and echo the mountains on the other, sits behind an open plaza, creating a sense of space in Honolulu’s dense financial district. A replacement for earlier structures, the building’s design blends commerce and cultural presence, including rotating art exhibits in its lobby.

Before this modern tower, the block looked very different. The earlier buildings, a 1962, 18-story bank tower considered Hawaii’s first modern skyscraper, and the 1925 S.M. Damon Building, symbolized financial growth and the progress of Honolulu.

The history goes back further. Just after the turn of the century, Honolulu had three high-class hotels, the Hawaiian Hotel on Hotel Street, the Moana Hotel in Waikīkī, and the Arlington Hotel on King Street. At this time, Bishop Street did not yet exist.

The Arlington Hotel was later dismantled, and the roads reconfigured. Bishop Street was built across the large property, cutting in half what had previously been part of a private estate. But the Arlington had not always been a hotel. It began as Haleʻākalā, the coral-block home of high chief Abner Pākī.

Built in the mid-1800s, Haleʻākalā was the residence of Pākī, his wife Kōnia, their daughter, Bernice Pauahi, and their hanai (adopted) daughter, Lydia Liliʻu Kamakaʻeha, who later became Queen Liliʻuokalani. In those days, this part of Honolulu was not yet a commercial center. Instead, the area held landscaped yards, long driveways, and the early outlines of what would eventually become downtown’s street network.

Queen Lili‘uokalani described the place as “one of the most beautiful and central of the mansions in Honolulu.”

Lili‘uokalani and John Dominis were married at Haleʻākalā, and the estate was a gathering place for high society in Hawai‘i. The son of Princess Ruth Ke‘elikolani was baptised there in 1863, and Duke Kahanamoku was born there in 1890.

Just a few years later, on January 16, 1893, Haleʻākalā, the property at which Princess Pauahi and Queen Lili‘uokalani were raised, became ‘Camp Boston.’ This was the headquarters for the USS Boston’s landing force as 162 sailors and Marines came ashore and stood ready to support the American businessmen during the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy on January 17, 1893.

The home served as a boarding house for a time before operating as the Arlington Hotel. But its history lingered in the heart of Hawai‘i’s Queen as she lamented the loss of the property after it was willed to Pauahi’s husband, Charles Reed Bishop.

“This wish of my heart was not gratified,” she wrote, “And at the present day strangers stroll through the grounds or lounge on the piazzas of that home once so dear to me.”

Even earlier than Haleʻākalā, the land belonged to the district known as Kou, in the heart of early Honolulu. On the Diamond Head half of this block stood Kauanono‘ula, a loku site, where men and women of every kind gathered in the evenings to enjoy themselves. Some of the amusements indulged in there were hula, chants, the recitation of narratives in chant form, and the telling of legends. Such places were known from the distant past, and it wasn’t just the living that gathered there. Ghosts and spirits of all kinds, including the legendary night marchers, are said to visit this space. Kauanono‘ula means “the dark red rain.”

W.D. Westervelt confirms this gathering spot for wailua, or ghosts, in his book 

, and adds that the ghosts in these places made night a source of dread for all people. Several employees who work in this building say it is indeed haunted, and nights when they have to work late are especially creepy. 

About 10 years ago, I was asked by a law firm on one of the upper floors to share ghost stories as part of their team-building day. The gathering carried on the tradition of storytelling at this site, and the people in attendance were very affable and receptive to what I had to share. Although I could feel a literal “buzz” in the air, no one else seemed to notice. 

I already knew the history of this place. Stories of otherworldly encounters with ancient Hawaiian spirits in several Downtown buildings have circulated for years. So I tried to ignore the strange feeling that settled over me. However, I was still quite surprised to learn that there might be a night marcher procession passing through the firm’s offices.

A series of security videos showed an unusual column of mist that appeared at the outer wall, facing mauka, or toward the mountains. It drifted through the lobby and office partitions, and seemed to flow out through the makai (ocean facing) wall at the other end. For a while, no one had a clear idea of what they were looking at until the Hawaiian woman who cleaned the office after hours saw the videos.

Without hesitation, the woman nodded and said, “Oh yeah, huaka‘i pō. Night marchers.”

Looking back, perhaps nothing about that moment should have surprised any of us. This land has borne witness to royalty, celebration, progress, upheaval, and sorrow, and those memories do not simply vanish beneath the concrete and glass. Whether one accepts the explanation of the night marchers or views the strange mist as a trick of light, the effect remains the same: the past continues to move through the present.

The First Hawaiian Center stands today as a symbol of progress and commerce, yet beneath its polished floors rests an older story that refuses to fade. Long before office buildings and parking lots, people gathered on this ground to chant, to dance, to remember. And if the accounts of those security cameras are to be believed, they may still be gathering here.

First Hawaiian Center

<title>Huaka‘i Pō at First Hawaiian Center</title>

First Hawaiian Center remains the tallest building in Downtown Honolulu. The property on which is stands is home to an amazing — and sometimes frightening — history. Long before there was a bank, a house stood on the property, known as Haleʻākalā. Bernice Pauahi lived there, as did the future Queen Liliʻuokalani. Duke Kahanamoku was born there. And some say Huaka‘i Pō, the Night Marchers, still make their presence known there.

Huaka‘i Pō at First Hawaiian Center

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Developers are seeking public feedback again on a long-gestating and controversial plan to build a resort community in South Maui.

A draft environmental impact statement for Mākena Mauka, a proposed 652-unit community on more than 1,000 acres of land just west and north of the town of Mākena, was 

As explained in the EIS, the community — developed by AREG AC Mākena Propco LLC — would stretch from Mākena State Park to Wailea and would offer housing at market rates together with residential workforce housing in both single-family and multi-family units.

Of the 652 planned units — which itself is a reduction from the 900 units proposed in an earlier plan — 109 are planned to be residential workforce housing. The plan estimates that about 36 of those 109 units would be available for households making 80% or less of the Area Median Income.

The Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corporation pegged the AMI at about $94,000 for a single-person household on Maui this year.

Another 36 of those affordable units would be available for those making between 81% and 100% AMI and the remainder for households earning up to 120% AMI.

The community would also include gathering spaces, hiking trails, walking and biking paths, and the like. It would also incorporate the use of the existing Mākena North and Mākena South golf courses — Mākena Golf and Beach Club owns the land of both courses and the land to be used for the development.

 among residents of the rural area, who were intensely critical during a pair of public scoping meetings about the project in 2024. Many commenters during those meetings accused the developers of appealing to wealthy customers while pricing out Native Hawaiians.

“There isn’t a luxury home shortage on Maui,” read a comment by Kihei resident Jonathan Henbest. “There isn’t a need for a development of homes appealing to part time residents who contribute little more than property taxes to the local economy. We NEED housing for the full-time residents that are the very heartbeat of this island. Especially the multi-generational families that are quickly being forced off this island by high prices and lack of available housing.”

Other local concerns related to the project’s potential impacts on regional water sources, nearby traffic systems, endangered species, ocean access, scenic views and more. The plan details various plans to mitigate these factors, and ultimately predicts no long-term environmental impacts caused by the project.

For example, the development would primarily use a privately owned and operated water system to minimize the strain on local groundwater systems — save for the 109 affordable housing units, which would be on county water.

Traffic impacts, meanwhile, would largely be absorbed by road improvements planned for Honua‘ula, another proposed housing development nearby also referred to as Wailea 670.

While the draft EIS did not include any positive public remarks that came out of the 2024 scoping meetings, some residents testified in support of the project at a meeting of the Maui Planning Commission on Tuesday.

“Mākena Mauka stands apart from many developments because it demonstrates a genuine respect for the land, its history and the cultural significance that makes this area so special,” wrote Zachary Fahmie to the Commission. “Rather than approaching development purely from a commercial standpoint, the project reflects thoughtful planning, environmental sensitivity and a sincere acknowledgement of the generations who have called this land home.”

The proposal estimates that construction would take place over three 10-year phases beginning in 2028, with final completion not expected until 2058. The project is estimated to cost $4 billion over the 30-year timeline.

Members of the public who wish to submit comment on the project can do so 

2025 12 08 MA DEIS Makena Mauka Part 1 16x9

<title>South Maui resort project inches forward</title>

A draft environmental impact statement for Mākena Mauka resort project was published Monday.

South Maui resort project inches forward

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 is stocked with a variety of holiday treats, including its festive cinnamon white chocolate dipped combo boxes ($22.50 at Ala Moana Center), dark chocolate-covered peppermint brownies ($22 at Ala Moana Center), peppermint white dipped Kona mocha shortbread ($22.50 at Ala Moana Center) and bite-sized gingerbread cookies ($13.50 at Ala Moana Center). Prices vary online and at Big Island Candies’ Hilo store.

The shop is also offering gift boxes with assorted shortbread cookies and brownies.

This weekend only — Dec. 13 and 14 — the biz is partnering with local ice cream shop 

The limited-time treat ($9 each) features creamy chocolate fudge ice cream swirled with peppermint chips and topped with nuts, bits of Big Island Candies’ dark chocolate covered peppermint brownies and Thrills’ housemade vanilla bean crème brulee.

The dessert features a refreshing mint flavor coupled with decadent brownie bits and the caramelized crème brulee topping.

[{"type":"text","text":"The treat will be available while supplies last."}]

Open 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 1-10 p.m. Fridays-Sundays

Specialty Big Island Candies dessert available Dec. 13 and 14

Big Island Candies and Thrills collab dessert 120925

<title>You can get this specialty peppermint treat for a limited time</title>

Big Island Candies and local ice cream shop Thrills Soft Serve are partnering to create a holiday dessert. On Dec. 13 and 14 only, customers can enjoy a creamy chocolate fudge ice cream dessert topped with bits of Big Island Candies’ dark chocolate covered peppermint brownies.

You can get this specialty peppermint treat for a limited time

Arts & Entertainment

‘Twas the Light Before Christmas on Ice

 opens to the public today, Dec. 4 at Hawai‘i Convention Center. It runs until Jan. 4, 2026.

The seasonal exhibit features an immersive experience, complete with holiday music, festive décor, and — new this year — an expansive indoor ice-skating rink.

Tickets cost about $30 per adult and $20 per child (for non-skating tickets); tickets are around $40 per adult and $25 per child to include skating. Senior, military and VIP tickets are also available. 

While tickets are available at the door, guests are encouraged to purchase them online to choose their preferred time. The exhibit is also a cashless experience; only credit and debit payments are accepted. Once attendees enter the exhibit, re-entry is prohibited. 

Guests can look forward to a variety of dazzling exhibits, ranging from the brightly lit snowflake entrance to decorated ornaments, Santa’s sleigh and Camp Candy Cane.

Skate rentals are included in ticket purchases; children under 2 years old are not allowed on the ice. Attendees are also welcome to bring their own skates.

Attendees can also look forward to Honolulu Cookie Co.’s “Letters to Santa” station, a theater area to watch holiday movies, and bounce houses (designed for children ages 12 and under only).

While no outside food or beverages are allowed inside the exhibit, attendees can look forward to drink stations with eggnog and hot cocoa. The hot cocoa bar includes toppings like marshmallows, whipped cream and chocolate peppermint pieces.

Attendees can also enjoy signature cocktails in a cozy lounge space. The bar will be open from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; specialty drinks include snowfall mojito and hibiscus mulled wine. House wines by the glass, select beers, soft drinks and bottled water will also be available.

On select weekends, American Savings Bank’s holiday marketplace will showcase local vendors. Guests can also look forward to a variety of special events, including Wine Wednesday pau hana specials (starting at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays), holiday story and crafts (10 a.m. on Sundays), Swiftie Skate Party (5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 13) and K-POP Night (6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 19).

Parking is available on-site (first-come, first-served) at Hawaiʻi Convention Center.

Open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (last tickets at 7 p.m.) Sundays-Thursdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (last tickets at 9 p.m.) Fridays-Saturdays

Twas the Light ice rink 120425

<title>‘Twas the Light Before Christmas on Ice opens in Honolulu</title>

This immersive winter wonderland runs until Jan. 4 at Hawaiʻi Convention Center. The limited-time exhibit is known for its dazzling lights and festive holiday décor. New this year: an expansive indoor ice-skating rink.

Hawai‘i Skies: Lights

ASD Staff

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Hawai‘i Skies: Lights

Authors

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